Time for Gregor to earn his coin - Andy Goode
The British & Irish Lions have all the tools at their disposal in the match day 23 on Saturday and it’s time for Gregor Townsend to prove his credentials as an attack coach.
Warren Gatland’s side have shown next to nothing in attack over the course of the first two Tests and have been drawn into the type of battle the Springboks relish but the only way to win the third Test is for Townsend to show why he’s considered one of the brightest attacking minds in the northern hemisphere.
The Scotland coach was close to going on the 2017 tour as an assistant coach and has waited another four years to be in this position, so now is his time to step up.
He did it as a player with the Lions in South Africa in 1997 when many people were surprised that he was picked at fly half, with Neil Jenkins shifted to full back. That cemented his reputation as a number 10 and this can do so as a coach.
If we’re honest, the Lions have gone back into their shell ever since Elliot Daly got absolutely smoked by Lukhanyo Am in the first Test and they need to come out of it and start throwing some shots of their own or there’ll be regrets aplenty when they’re quarantining in Jersey next week.
The players and coaches knew exactly what was coming from South Africa, as we all did, and there’s only one winner if the third Test is another slow-paced affair dominated by box kicks, driving lineouts, set piece and the aerial battle.
The Lions need to roll the dice if they are to replicate the success of 1997 and beat the Springboks. They have the tools to do it but we’re yet to see if they’ve got the attacking game plan to pull it off.
Every team holds a few things back in reserve so it’ll be interesting to see what the Lions have up their sleeve in attack for the big occasion. You go in with a sheet of at least 20 plays for different scenarios and areas of the field but almost all of those go out the window when you’re forced onto the back foot.
The old saying goes that forwards win matches and backs decide by how many. The Lions pack were distinctly second best last week and they need to at least achieve parity, as they did in the first Test, or Townsend’s job will be nigh on impossible.
However, it isn’t Dan Biggar’s fault that he only had three passes in last week’s match and Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki have shown in an Ireland shirt that they aren’t just crash ball merchants so they all need to be given license to express themselves.
Liam Williams might have been brought in for his prowess under the high ball as much as his attacking talent but Josh Adams has been picked purely for his finishing ability. The Lions need to get him and Duhan van der Merwe the ball.
Clearly, the absence of Faf de Klerk will help. Cobus Reinach isn’t a bad replacement at all but there won’t quite be the same accuracy on the box kicks or the Springboks may play a little bit more off 10, which may open up just a few more chances.
For the Lions, it isn’t about throwing the ball all over the place and going wide at every opportunity but we need to see more tip on plays and shifting South Africa’s big bodies around, combined with a bit more innovation from time to time.
The bench has played a major role in the first two Tests with the Springboks having a massive advantage last week but I think it’s the Lions who have the edge in that department for this one.
The Boks have their usual front row reinforcements to bring on but I don’t think the likes of Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Morne Steyn and co are going to change the game as much as Lood de Jager did last week.
In contrast, the Lions have gamebreakers everywhere you look on the bench. The front row are all powerful impact players who are comfortable with ball in hand, Adam Beard is as athletic as they come in the second row and Sam Simmonds is waiting to explode.
I actually don’t think Finn Russell will be used unless Biggar gets injured or the Lions are more than 10 points down but we know the magic he possesses if called upon.
Whether it’s in the second half when those players come on or the first half, the Lions have to play with tempo this week and put South Africa under the sort of duress that forces them into errors.
Townsend has a reputation that has come from his playing days through into his coaching as a bright attacking mind. We haven’t seen that yet on this Lions tour but now is the time to roll the dice and for him to earn his coin.
The potential is there for the Lions to do it but if they play in the same manner as the first two Tests, the Springboks win by six for me. Townsend holds the keys and let’s hope he gives them to Biggar so he can unlock a few doors this week.
Comments on RugbyPass
It sounds like Andrew is trying to convince himself or has just lost all perspective. The team did look jaded for the last couple of games of the six nations but a few things were wrong there. Italy tackled their hearts out and made Ireland work hard for every try. Outsmarted by Scotland? Huh? Ireland got held up over the line about 4 times. Scotland did nothing on attack the whole game other than one breakaway near the end. A recharge and reset is needed which they hopefully will have had before the SA your.
7 Go to commentsIncluding SA and Argie teams was great for the quality of rugby, but middle of the night games and player travel/ jet lag make that unworkable. I think that SA in Europe and Argie building an American league with USA, Canada etc would be better long term. If Oz can't sustain Rebels then next cab off the rank should be a Japanese team. Keep regional comps to time zones, both club and test rugby. Then existing test windows for test tours plus RWC.
6 Go to commentsMisogynists have feelings too!
1 Go to commentsCrowd sizes of the URC v the Premiership must be a big factor.
1 Go to commentsWell you’ve made a proper tit of yourself, haven’t you! 😂
173 Go to commentsBen it's beyond their comprehension-
203 Go to commentsThanks Sam. Interesting read. Harder or easier for Parling to come into a completely new setup where performance was abysmal last time out? I’d suggest easier to be better but, as you suggest, will be a lot to do with how much latitude he’s granted. Hopefully all he needs. With hybrids like Holloway, Hannigan, Swinton and Leota as options at 6 we have the basics for a strong lineout. BPA returning means we have good options at 2 also with Faessler, Porecki and Uelese, although Jordan is a scrumming beast rather than a dart thrower. I’m typically a pessimist or realist but that’s never applied to the Wallabies
1 Go to commentsMad how this somehow contained absolutely zero information.
2 Go to commentsI’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
2 Go to commentsThe better side seems to be the losing side a lot these days. As far as narrative goes. Must be the big emergent culture of “participation awards” that have emerged in nanny states. ”It looked like New Zealand would take the game from there but lapses in execution let South Africa get back into the game. New Zealand’s goal kickers left five points out there, including a very make-able penalty on the stroke of half”. Sounds like a chronic problem… I wonder how the better team has lapses in concentration and execution? Or are those not important factors in the grand scheme of total performances? In 2023, the ABs at least didn’t give up a lead to lose. They just couldn’t execute to get the points and take the lead. This Baby AB result points to a choke - letting the game slip through your fingers. In the words of the great Ricky Bobby’s dad - “If you’re not 1st you’re last!” Loosely translated - if you didn’t win, you’re a loser.
10 Go to commentsWith Stuart Lancaster at the helm, Racing 92 looks more and more a mercenaries club like Toulon some years ago and they are not even performing despite all the money on offer.
4 Go to commentsCouple of things BS missed: wind was behind the Baby Blacks in the first half. Baby Boks got points from a scrum penalty in the final quarter against this ‘dominant pack’, and left three points on the park after a missed penalty.
10 Go to commentsSensible thoughts on this, Brett. Also worth considering we’ve sold 60k tickets for a game between the Rebels and the Lions next year. Got to be roughly $10m in ticket and game day revenue there.
6 Go to commentsUnsuccessful bitter ex Ulster player taking a pop shot at a side that isn't including his consistently poor mates up north
7 Go to commentsHis decision to play in France isn’t a petulant decision as this article suggests. I reckon that France is the perfect place to demonstrate that he can mix it in those battles Rassie references. It’s a good decision to try get into the squad. My personal opinion is that he wins more battles than he loses. I don’t have Rassie’s stats machine behind me, but Daymian’s is so strong moving through traffic and in the rip.
4 Go to commentsWow! Argie forward dominance is something I have not read in years….
1 Go to commentsIs the ‘snub’ really why he is leaving? He hasn’t said that has he? You don’t have to stay in SA to play for the Boks, so it’s not that he’s giving up on trying to get into the squad as the case would be in, say, England or New Zealand. Rassie made it clear that the early camps won’t feature all the players to play for the Boks this year so I can’t imagine Dayimani was too offended by being overlooked this time. It just seems like a sensationalist angle to take for a story without really knowing the player’s intentions.
4 Go to commentsWell, it is easily one of the best Irish sides, it’s just that their historical standard is very low.
7 Go to commentsThe Irish side is good. They have lost 2 games in the last 23 tests. In the last 12 months they have have a 60% win rate against the top 5 sides in the world. Over the same period south africa have a 67% win rate against the top 5 teams, and New Zealand are at 40%.
7 Go to commentsOnly 1247 days until RWC 2027 starts Bin Smuth🤣Can’t wait to see how unhinged you’re still gonna get between now & then
203 Go to comments